io8 A Sportswoman in India 



and the stone sticks to the wound, which ceases to 

 bleed. He says it is a certain cure. By-and-by he 

 takes the stone off and says he is perfectly well. The 

 wound looks quite healthy. With deep thankfulness 

 and gratitude you dismiss the man, and are lavish in 

 the matter of a tip. 



My dear madam ! your snake-charmer arranged the 

 tiny cobra for you this morning, and had just turned 

 out the two large ones before you came into the 

 compound ; their fangs were extracted properly months 

 before. 



Our man would have gone on with his performances 

 all night. We emptied our pockets, and finally went 

 into the Guest House to dress. Native bagpipes came 

 and performed through dinner, and we could hardly 

 hear ourselves speak. 



Later on in the evening we had a long and most 

 interesting interview with Bhuri Singh in reference to 

 our shoot. He had practically made the whole bundo- 

 bust^ and we were to be sent right up into the 

 mountains, to the Rajah's own preserves, provided 

 with tents, servants, shikaris , provisions, and everything 

 we could want all at the Rajah's own expense. 



It would certainly be hard to find warmer hospitality 

 than we met with in India ; and Bhuri Singh spared 

 no pains to make our expedition an unqualified success. 

 I remember so well his warning us that there would 

 be a great deal of rough climbing, and that farther up 

 and into the hills it would be quite impossible to ride. 

 He evidently thought it rather strange that women 



